The Echo Chamber from Tortoise Shack

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Ahmed Masoud is a Palestinian novelist and writer who grew up in Jabalyia refugee camp. He joins us to speak about his family in Jabalyia, a brother who was killed by Israel, and a sister who was under siege in the refugee camp for 40 days. Ahmad shares his thoughts on the importance of literature, writing, storytelling during this critical time. A powerful testimony from a brilliant writer. Tune in for more details. GE 2024 Candidates Pods are here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-115534461

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this candid and honest GE 2024 candidate podcast we talk with Kildare South Cllr Chris Pender of the Soc Dems in what is a conversation that went in directions we didn't expect. Chris opens up about becoming homeless, mental health struggles and why there's nothing in the Dáil more difficult than the obstacles that he has had to overcome. The Candidate Podcasts are here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/115534461

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack So that was a shocking non-shock and you'll have heard lots of people with lots of opinions on why Donald Trump won and why Kamala Harris lost. But on this pod, Prof of Economics, Constantin Gurdgiev breaks down the Black Swan event, the Topical and Tactical reasons and more importantly tells us what it could mean for US isolationism, Gaza, Ukraine, the EU, the BRICS and little old Ireland.

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this (slightly different) GE 2024 candidates podcast we talk to Sinn Féin’s Health Spokesperson, David Cullinane about his plan to deliver a public health service that works for all. We discuss the plan in great detail, while also delving into Sinn Féin’s mistakes in the last few years, their relationship with the mainstream media and the way they’re treated by the far right. An in-depth interview for anyone wanting to know what Sinn Féin mean by 'change'. The Polls and Projections Pod is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/115656727

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this GE2024 candidates chat we talk with Patricia Stephenson, who is the Social Democrats General Election candidate for Carlow-Kilkenny. Her route into politics took her from Belfast to East Africa, on to Dublin, before finally settling down in Carlow-Kilkenny. Her human rights background and experience makes her a candidate well worth your consideration. Even if I doubt her Coddle bona fides. The Neasa Hourigan podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-115493314 The Polling and Projections Podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-115656727

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Dr. Yipeng Ge is a primary care physician and public health practitioner who has witnessed the atrocities in Gaza firsthand as a humanitarian medical volunteer. He shares with the PalCast co-hosts his experience of being in Gaza as a medical worker during the ongoing genocide. He tells us how hungry people were so kind to him and his colleague, going so far as to share their meals, and although the medical system in Gaza was destroyed by Israel, and many medical professionals were targeted by Israel, Palestinians still maintained a sort of social structure to survive. He also sadly outlines how the deaths are much higher than many people think and how hospitals became a target. Listen to hear heartbreaking stories from Gaza. We must bare witness. Donate to Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735 The US Election Reaction Pod is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-115480043

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Next up in our candidates series is Labour Party Cllr for Rathfarnham-Templeogue, and employment rights solicitor Ciarán Ahern. He outlines his local ambitions for a national agenda, talks about his background and civic minded work and why he’s adapted his career in law to pursue his career in politics. A terrific candidate. The US Election Reaction Pod is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/115480043

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this, the first of our GE 2024 Candidate podcasts, we talk with PBP candidate in Dublin South Central, Hazel De Nortúin. She talks about her route into politics, how her family shaped her values and how her love of the Irish language has made her class conscious. To access the full list of candidate interviews so far click here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/115017828

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this podcast the hosts of Shrapnel, Gareth and Sam join the eejits from Echo, Tony and Martin to talk about everything NI. We discuss politics, culture, the function and dysfunction of Stormont, how the lack of mental health supports are hurting communities and much, much more. Part 2 of this podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-114926112 The GE 2024 Candidate Podcasts are here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/115017828 Donate to Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Media can't make the news. But it can frame it. Rejoining us on the podcast is Stockholm-based journalist, Philip O'Connor, and he's got a lot to say about the lack of diversity of opinion within Irish media, especially when it comes to Sinn Féin. We discuss the self-selecting biases, the impartiality fallacy and ask you to consider 3 important questions as you are consuming news in the runup to General Election 2024. The GE2024 Candidate Podcasts are available here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-114872281

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Echo Chamber podcast we are rejoined by our Russian-Irish, US-based Prof of Economics listener favourite, Constantin Gurdgiev for what is an absolute belter of a conversation. We talk US presidential election drama, its ridiculousness and the potential results and outcomes. We look at the booming economy vs the failing infrastructure and we revisit Ukraine and how even the aid via loans now is a disaster for any notion of true solidarity. The GE 2024 Candidates Podcast Series is live now:https://www.patreon.com/posts/114681387 Donate to Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic we talk once more to award winning journalist and podcaster with the Guardian, John Harris about the tensions, achievements and neoliberal technocracy of the new Labour Government in the UK. We dig into the disconnect between the big parties and ordinary people. We also talk about autism, disability and the waste of energy that are the culture wars. Finally John tells us about his new book that'll be out early in 2025. The GE 2024 Candidate Pods are here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/114681387 Donate to Rory's marathon for Gaza:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Abubaker Abed is a sports journalist in Gaza but since October last year he had to change his scope to cover an ongoing genocide by Israel in the Gaza Strip. He opens up to PalCast hosts about the trials and tribulations of existing in Gaza today. He says, despite the unbearable atrocities has he seen, he has not lost hope because he insists on being a human every day. In fact he demands that we all do. Abubaker calls on people all over the world to speak up to end the genocide in Gaza and call out their complicit governments. What we have seen is beyond a genocide, he repeats. As he speaks, gunshots and noise are heard in the background from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital where Palestinians were burnt alive by an Israeli airstrike last week. Rory's Dublin Marathon for Gaza:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Thousands of Irish people head to the Canaries for their holidays. Most are blissfully unaware that the waters they swim in are arguably the deadliest to migrants anywhere in the world. Rejoining us in the tortoise shack is Madrid-based journalist, Eoghan Gilmartin, who visited the area and brings us up to date on what Fortress Europe is doing in our name. Read more from Eoghan here:https://bylinetimes.com/2024/10/02/canary-islands-el-hierro-migrant-crossings/ Journalist Abubaker Abed joined us from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital where Palestinians were burnt alive by an Israeli airstrike last week. That podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-114494103

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack It is a constant head scratcher to us that the brilliant journalist and writer Jon Schwarz continues to put up with our madness. He rejoins us just 21 days out from the US Presidential election to talk all things political, societal in a presidential race that has ranged from the crazy to the absurd. We also talk Elon Musk and his needy role in it all. No cats were injured during the recording of this podcast. The General Election is on podcast is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/114250721 Donate to Rory's marathon for Gaza here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Dr. Nour Naim holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence. In this episode of PalCast she talks about the use of AI techniques during the genocide in Gaza by Israel. Naim notes that what is lethally dangerous about Israel’s use of AI in Gaza which started in 2019, long before October 7th, and how AI has turned into a marketable killing machine, facilitated by humans with minimal efforts. This includes the use of AI machines Lavender and Where’s Daddy based on algorithms fed by the Israeli military. Helena Cobban talks about the US letter that gave Israel 30 days to allow aid into Gaza otherwise the administration might (MIGHT) reconsider US arms to Israel, noting that this is all related to the US elections on November 5th. Tune in for more! Donate to Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this very special podcast we are joined by Nadim Nashif, who is the director of https://7amleh.org/ and Taysir Mathlouthi, who is EU Advocacy Officer with 7amleh. They describe the online human and digital rights battle for Palestinians in ways that we had never imagined. We delve into the fatally dangerous role that AI is playing in the war machine and how it’s killing by inputs now and could be much worse in the future. Thank you to Uplift for their help in setting up this important conversation. Donate to Rory's marathon:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack We do weekly member-only podcasts where we talk openly about information we are privy to and some stories that often didn't get enough traction that stay forever behind the paywall. But given that Brian Stanley has resigned from Sinn Féin in controversial circumstances and that we have had dealings with him over the last few years, we've lifted the paywall on this episode. Kangaroo Court, Brian? The Death in the Canaries Podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-113558762

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In his latest Gist:https://www.thegist.ie/the-gist-a-free-speech/ solicitor and Digital Rights Expert, Simon McGarr revealed his concerns about the new Online Safety Code and how it has by accident or design, created two seperate legal requirements to introduce age verification by designated platforms, and they don't both meet the tests set down for being compliant with EU law. If that all sounds a bit highbrow, don’t worry. Simon explains it all here and we think it is something that needs fixing ASAP. Support Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack It has been a year since October 7th. The world has changed, but the world of Palestinians has changed beyond imagination during this fateful year. Much of Gaza has been destroyed, 42,000 Palestinians have been killed, 10,000 others are still under the rubble of their homes. Their bodies unburied as a cruel reminder of the ongoing war on Gaza. In this episode, PalCast hosts speak of the difficulty of keeping sane during these challenging times. The war started in Gaza, but it has been expanding, reaching Lebanon and Yemen, and involving countries such as Iraq and Iran. The world will never be the same again. Donate to Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735